I Need a Favour (take 2)
by Lulubelle09
Summary: So while trying to write another chaper for But He's Gay i ended up writing another oneshot for my own challange... Hope you like it! R


Hello everyone, so I fell into my own trap and instead of clearing my writers block on the other story I have instead been coming up with different variances of my 'I need a favour' challenge.

This one was the only one to make it to paper, and only because of one line, which I will underline, and once you read it you will have to agree it needed to be used. So here it is, my second addition to the "I Need a Favour" Challenge.

* * *

Stephanie was working at her desk at Rangeman, where she had been fully employed just over 6 months before, when she, and the entire 5th floor, heard a crashing sound followed by lots and lots of creative swearing in a multitude of languages, coming Ranger's Office.

After silence had returned to the 5th level and all eyes had returned to their workload, Stephanie's office intercom rang.

"Babe, my office in 10" was all that was said by the displaced voice of Ranger, not waiting for a reply as usual. Stephanie sighed and saved her work. Just one she wished that someone would say goodbye!

Ranger and Stephanie had been getting closer since she started working at Rangeman. Stephanie' faith in the male species was at an all-time low, Joe was scum bag and the latest guy in a string of moss suckers that Stephanie was apparently blind to. Ranger was a good alternate for now, they had dinner, spent time together when there was time and occasionally fell into bed together, it was working for them and she was happy.

10 minutes later Stephanie walked into Ranger's office. Tank was seated in the couch against the far wall and Ranger was in his office chair, as he motioned her to the chair on the other side of His large desk. Never had Steph sat in this chair. Usually she sat on the couch and Ranger would be either next to her or moved his desk chair to face her. Other times she had rested on the corner of the desk or on Rangers lap if it was more personal, but NEVER was she put in the 'guest' chair.

Ranger offered her a drink, shuffled his papers and clicked a few times on his computer, seemingly checking some important business, when he had finished, and silence had reigned for a few minutes he focused back on Stephanie, leaning forward in this chair, hands resting on each other.

"Okay Ranger, cut the shit!" Stephanie had had enough, Tank started to chuckle at her outburst, "Am I being fired?" Steph continued, causing Tank to stop laughing and sit straighter on the couch.

"What!? NO! Babe why would I fire you? I've spent years trying to get you to work here?" Ranger looked confused, which was a rarity. "Your work is amazing, that doesn't make sense?"

"Well your being all formal and nervous."

Ranger sighed, "Sorry Babe, I've just got an important favour to ask and I don't know what you'll say"

"Whatever you need Ranger you know I'll do it" a look was shared between them that Tank couldn't understand but it seemed to settle Ranger.

"I need a favour babe. I need you to marry me." There was silence "we would need to be married ASAP, like today, in fact if we were being married right now that would be great."

"Ranger"

"Yes?"

"You're rambling" Steph looked amused but none more so than Tank who was trying to hold in his laughter and was turning an interesting colour.

"Why exactly do we need a rushed wedding? Oh No" she said with fake concern "Did I get you pregnant" while Steph managed to stay straight faced, Tank lost his battle and fell to the floor in laughter.

The look on Ranger's face, the stunned, shocked and baffled face, was enough to cause Steph to join Tank in his laughter.

"Babe are you mocking me?" Ranger was still in his stunned stupor, unable to believe what she had just said.

"Yes Ranger I am" she said through her tears of laughter.

"Babe" was all Ranger could say as he shook his head at her and his second in command. Tank had refused to leave, saying he didn't want to miss the show, at least he was having a good time.

When she had calmed down, Steph asked "Ranger what caused this?" While she had made fun of him, and who could have resisted that rare chance, she knew it must be serious.

"Babe, I'm not renewing my government contract. In theory that is fine, I've done my part in insuring that America is safe and they thank me, but they 'need' me for this mission they had coming up, they swear it will be the last and have offered everything from money to awards to immunity from any police matter. Bottom line I don't want to do the mission, plus I don't trust them to really let me go if I don't take a stand."

"Why go to that effort, there must be other people that they can use."

"He's the best Bombshell, ain't nobody wanna lose their best player"

"I might have been the best, but not anymore, time to let the newbie make their reputations. I trained most of them so I know that they can do this. If I honestly thought no one else could do it I would but they are just being stubborn in wanting me."

"So why the marriage?"

"They have threatened to revoke my citizenship. I have til 5pm tonight to be at base or they pull all data on my life here and deport me. If I marry you however I will get a green card and official citizenship in 2 years. Please Babe?"

Steph was horrified "Of course Ranger! I'm so sorry that after all you have done and given to the government, to the citizens of America, to insure that the safety of American, they are treating you like this, and acting like spoilt children denied a toy. It makes me ashamed to be American. Why don't you just pack up a go? Take Rangeman and everyone involved and set up shop somewhere else, security is needed worldwide." Tear were threatening to fall from Stephanie's eye as she spoke.

Ranger and Tank exchanged a glance; both loved and hated how deeply Stephanie felt everything around her. To them this was nothing, both facing worse betrayals in their times and they had found a way around it but to Stephanie it was a despicable act. Her bright white light had been dimmed a little at the knowledge.

Pulling herself together, determinacy in her eyes she spoke "Like I said, of course I'll marry you, but won't they be suspicious? Will they be mad you out smarted them? Will they try to get you back?" there was a small streak of worry in her voice as she asked her questions.

"They won't be happy, but I won't be bullied. It is more than possible that they will send someone to audit our marriage. I've pulled a few strings to make it seem less sudden. It will seem like we made the appointment for the Justice of the Peace a month ago, dinner in New York and a hotel suit as well will seem to have been booked for 2 weeks and the limo that will take us there as well."

Ranger took a deep breath, sliding his glace to Tank briefly, "Thank you Babe, you are the only person I trust with this. The only woman I would marry, I know we can be good together and I know you're helping me as a favour but I love you and we have been working towards being together for the last 6 months and it's been rushed but I want you to know I will be a good husband to you, and as long as you stay exactly who you are you'll be my perfect wife."

Again Stephanie had tears in her eyes, "I love you too Ranger. I trust you completely and I know you'll never hurt me, I guess I had to wade through the frogs to find my prince charming. Let's get married!" Stephanie looked deeply into Rangers eyes as she said this, and it was like the locks had come undone, she could see the love, trust and respect he held for her.

Tank watched the two stare into each other eyes with smiles on their faces. He was happy for them, it would be a hard few years, the government didn't take lightly to be made to look the fool but it would be worth it. If not the UK crime rate was on the rise and Rangeman could make some serious money with the right connections. After a whole minute of staring Tank cleared his throat loudly, "We do have a wedding to get to" he said

"He's right, you head up to Ella's, and she'll get you ready. We need to leave in 1.5 hours"

"Can we hire strippers for the break room, boss? Gotta get your bachelor party in before the ceremony" Tank said with a smirk

"Why is he here exactly?" Steph asked

"Mostly to laugh at me" Ranger mumbled back "he likes when I'm nervous"

Stephanie took the chance to be cheeking once more, "And here I thought he was your second choice, what with the Marriage Equality laws having been passed" Stephanie took the chance to escape while the two of them looked at each other in horror. Laughing she ran for the elevator and safety of Ella's apartment. Just as the elevator doors were closing she heard Ranger and Tanks voices booming out of the office, "BABE!" "BOMBSHELL", causing her to laugh more.

Ella was a goddess, Stephanie decided. She had the perfect dress, it was cream lace over white silk and was beautiful in its simplicity, perfect for a courthouse wedding and dinner in New York afterwards. The shoes were magnificent, strappy, not to high and sliver, to match the jewellery she was wearing. Stephanie's hair was tames into a tight French braid with bobby pins keeping the stranglers in line.

With 56 seconds to spare the elevator door opened in the garage and Stephanie stepped out. in the dead silence of the garage three gasp could clearly be heard. Lester and Tank were along as body guards just in case there was trouble and doubled as witnesses. All three were in suits of black but Ranger was in a three piece, his vest matching the colour of the lace layer of her dress perfectly. He looked amazing and she stopped short, just to admire him.

"Beautiful you look amazing!" stuttered Lester, "Yeah" said Tank who was looking a little stunned. She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or insulted. "Babe, only you" Ranger smiled at her and offered her his hand, then lead her to the car.

"I've been thinking," Stephanie said when they were in the car on their way, "that I'll get my grandma to spread the word through the 'burgvine that we've been secretly dating and that you proposed a month ago but she had to keep it a secret until we were married. You know the 'burg it's talked about it's fact. It might help if they send someone to audit us?"

"Great Idea Babe." Ranger said "I've booked a restaurant for the Reception inn three nights time. We should have time to go to your parents to let them know and back to Rangeman to make some phone calls before the Limo comes to pick us up to take us to New York."

"Everyone is so gonna flip!" Steph all but squealed causing Tank and Lester to laugh

"Understatement Beautiful, Your mum is gonna be ironing the roof, your grandma is gonna say something weird but mean well and Your friends are gonna make you deaf with their squealing. But Tia Maria and Ranger's Sister are gonna about die. Your mum is nothing compared, why do you think Ranger's gonna call her instead of going to see her."

"Shut up Santo" Ranger growled from the front

"What you haven't told her?"

"Tank" said Ranger, resulting in Tank hitting Lester upside the head.

"Told me what?" said Stephanie sounding unsure "Won't Ranger's family like me?"

"Everyone will Love you, I'm sure my parents will about squeeze you to death and Tio Carlos will love you, it just might take Tia Maria, Laura and Celia a bit to get over their shock. But once they know you, you won't be able to get rid of them."

"RANGER!"

"Babe it doesn't matter, either way I love you. If they want to be negative then we just won't see them."

"LESTER!"

"Ranger's mum has been a little vocal about her son marrying a Cuban girl, preferably one that had a high standing in the Cuban community. His sisters agree, or really like to use his name to get access to those in the friends, who all want a chance at Ranger and his money so they treat the girls like royalty. "

"RANGER!" the pitch of this word was almost high enough to shatter glass

"Relax babe. I don't care about society standings and if my family want me to continue any sort of financially support them they will be nice to you. Plus Celia is dating a nice Navy officer and has moved passed that crap, she'll love you."

"Can I be there when you tell your Mama, you not only married someone she had never met but are cutting her off."

This time it was Stephanie who reached back and hit him

"Hey, Ranger spoils her and she's gotten a little too big for her birches."

"Santos"

"You know it's true, you don't want to deal with her, and feel guilty so you keep giving her money and expensive thing."

"Watch it Santos, that is still my mother you are talking about."

"I doubt you will even recognize her anymore Carlos. She treats the rest of the family like they are second class and even your father is over it. Laura is worse; she's 19 and dating a 40yr old man, who happens to be rich, and takes her to all the society events. When she saw Laury, my sister" he added for Stephanie's benefit, "working at a ball last week she completely dismissed her and then called to yelled at her afterwards for embarrassing her by trying to talk to her in public."

"Santos is now really the time for this?" Ranger asked annoyed, he was trying to marry his Babe, who had enough trouble with the idea of marriage, not to mention to save his own ass, he didn't need Lester scary her. He was also aware that there was a problem and he was assisting it by his inactivity.

"No, you're right. Sorry Man. It just been on my mind since Laury called crying and I tried not to get involved coz it's your family but I guess it just came out."

"We'll deal with it Les."

Stephanie lent over and rested her hand on Ranger's thigh, "We'll deal with it together."

With a smile on his face Ranger pulled into the parking lot and out jumped Lester and Tank to check the surroundings. "We're gonna do this," he said as he jumped out of the car, coming around to open her door and help her out of the car "and it's gonna be good."

* * *

So this is unBeta'd and all mistake are my own. Anything reconizable is owned not by me but by their rightful owner. What did you think? I really am trying to get back to But He's Gay, its just not coming to me.


End file.
